


In the Shadow of a Gunman

by Victorionious



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Episode: s06e24 Death And All His Friends, Friendship, Gen, Gun Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 17:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7062781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorionious/pseuds/Victorionious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coda to “Death and All His Friends.” How Mark gets the news, and what he does with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Shadow of a Gunman

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FeathersMcStrange](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeathersMcStrange/gifts).



By the time Mark heard that Derek had been shot, he had gone to Seattle Presbyterian and, once it was clear that Karev would be alright, hightailed it back to Seattle Grace Mercy West. It had taken much longer without the speed an ambulance provided, but he gets there just in time to find Miranda huddled against the wall, hugging herself tightly.

He sits down next to her, idly taking note of aches and pains that are just making themselves known, and wraps an arm around her shoulder without a word. She rests her cheek against his chest and gives up all pretense of trying not to cry.

"I said I was a nurse," she whispers eventually, forces it between her teeth. "I'm alive because I lied about one of the things I'm most proud of. Charles Percy isn't."

Mark holds her tighter. "You're alive because that man couldn't justify your death. He'd already killed a nurse, Bailey. I saw it happen. It was a crapshoot of broken morals and bad fucking timing."

She falls silent, after that, while Mark rubs calming circles on her shoulder.

"I've... I need to find my son. I need to get my son," she says, after several moments have passed, wiping her eyes and climbing unsteadily to her feet, using the wall as support. "Derek's inside still, I think. I don't know if he's awake yet, but he'll want you there either way."

"Awake?"

Miranda's hand flies to her mouth as she stares down at him. "You - no one told you?"

"I've-" Mark starts, but his breathing is too erratic to get the words out. "Karev was shot, he's okay, don't worry about him right now, but I was at - with Lexie." He blinks rapidly. "What did no one tell me exactly?" She's looking at him like she looks at the kids she's decided are hers, like she was looking at Derek when Meredith's heart wasn't beating, like she looked at Stevens every day for months, and the icy feeling inside of Mark spreads through his stomach and chest like a cancer.

"He's alive, he'll be okay," Miranda says, dropping to her knees in front of him and putting her hand on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. "Mark Sloan, breathe. He'll be alright. He was shot, but he's alive. Yang and Avery - they handled it. I spoke to Richard, apparently it was some man that was suing the hospital because we had to pull the plug."

"Mr. Clark," Mark breathes. Miranda doesn't say anything, but he can't quite look at her even with her hands on his face. So, he elaborates. "He dragged Derek through hell. You're telling me he wanted to send him there, too?"

Miranda's breath hitches a little bit, and that's answer enough. "He also wanted to put a bullet in Dr. Webber and Lexie Grey."

"Anyone else I care about, or was that enough?"

"The only one of his intended targets he actually managed to hit was Derek, and he'll survive. He _will_ survive, Mark."

Mark sighs, and finally makes eye contact. He's not surprised to see that she's visibly concerned. He places his hands over hers and removes them from his cheeks, putting them together on her lap and giving them a pat. "You're a good woman, Miranda Bailey. You didn't deserve this. No one did." He kisses her on the cheek and then stands up. "Where is he?" he asks, offering her a hand. She takes it.

"He's still in the ICU. Do you want me to find Torres for you?"

"Nah," he says. "I'm... well, anything but good, but she's probably got an armful of perky blonde pediatric surgeon right now. Wouldn't want to interrupt that. She'd never forgive me."

"I'll let her know where you are, anyway," she announces, touches his shoulder one more time, gives it a little pat, then walks away.

He smiles at her retreating form. "Thank you, Dr. Bailey." He's not sure whether she hears him. It's only when he's sure that she's far enough away that he lets a few tears fall. He catches his breath quickly and wipes the evidence from his face, then takes a few steps towards the door. Then a few more. Before too long, he's walking uninterrupted, and he forces himself forward in this way until he sees Richard Webber, of all people, sitting on the floor in front of a door.

"What is it with Seattle Grace doctors and sitting on the floor?" Mark asks, sliding down next to him despite himself.

Richard smiles wryly at his knees. "What is it with Seattle Grace doctors and getting ourselves killed, is a better question. I mean, he's okay - shit, sorry, I didn't mean to imply-"

"No, you're fine," Mark interrupts with a wave of his hand. "If he wasn't - well, there'd be a hell of a lot more hysterical Meredith Grey, and I don't see that right now, let alone hear it, so. Don't worry. I get it."

"O'Malley's been dead for almost a year, and Stevens is long since out of our lives, and for the first time," Richard pauses, takes a breath. "For the first time, I'm glad of it. What does it say about me that I'm glad they're gone, I'm glad they're not here to see this?"

"Makes Denny Duquette seem like an appendectomy."

"Makes an appendectomy seem like stitches in the pit."

They laugh, in that nervous, frantic way that says nothing about the situation is funny.

"Is he awake yet?" Mark asks the ceiling. Thankfully, Richard is the one who answers.

"No. He stirred for long enough to ask for Meredith, but he went back under. Don't know if he was actually aware of much outside of that."

Mark nods heavily, still not making eye contact. "Should I go in there?" he asks the door across from him. Again, Richard answers.

"I don't speak for Derek Shepherd," he begins. "I don't speak for him, but I think he'd be happier if you were there. I think your presence would be a comfort, both to him, and to Meredith. Probably Yang as well. Give her a reason to go after Hunt, anyway."

Mark breaks off his staring contest with the wall and finally turns to look at Richard. "Wait, why isn't Hunt with her?"

"Wait, you don't know?"

"All I know is that Karev and Derek got shot, and Vivian, Dr. Percy, and Clark are dead."

Richard sighs.

"There were more?"

Richard nods. "Adamson. Reed Adamson. She was shot in the head."

Mark puts his face in his hands. "Shit."

"She was the first to go. It was clean, at first. I doubt she even saw it coming. Didn't even have time to be scared. Kepner found her."

"Holy fuck," he whispers into his palms.

"A few security guards," he continues in a dull voice. "He got Hunt in the shoulder, but he's fine. Well, as fine as one can be at this point. Then, I talked him into shooting himself instead of me." Richard laughs. "It worked, didn't it?"

They both fall silent for a moment, until Richard reaches over and puts his hand on Mark's shoulder. "You should get in there before Derek wakes up again. I think he'd appreciate it."

Mark nods once, twice, then stands. He offers Richard a hand, but he shakes his head. "I think I'll just sit here for a bit longer," he says. "I'm not quite ready to face the world, and this is a good enough hiding place as any."

Mark nods again, takes a deep breath, and opens the door.


End file.
